Honey, royal jelly and propolis are all natural substances produced by honeybees. To obtain these products, they must be harvested from honeybee hives, which are kept by a beekeeper and are collectively called an apiary.
Etymology
The word propolis comes from the Greek language. "Pro" means in defense of and polis means the city. Honeybees use propolis to defend their hives against predators and the weather.
Honeybees
Propolis is a sticky, strongly adhesive substance produced by honeybees, who manufacture propolis and use it in their hives. The honeybees gather resin from tree bark and leaf buds. They chew the resin and add secretions from their salivary glands and beeswax. Propolis is applied to honeycombs to repair holes, and on the walls of the hive to smooth them out. The sticky qualities of bee propolis also prevent intruders from coming through the entrance of the honeybee hive.
Constituents
You might be surprised to know that bee propolis contains more than 300 compounds, including steroids, sugar, minerals, lactones and pollutants. The constituents in bee propolis are highly variable and depend on the plant source, time of collection and location. The general makeup of bee propolis is resin, wax, saliva, pollen, amino acids, minerals, ethanol, vitamin A, vitamin B complex, vitamin E and bioflavonoids, which give bee propolis antioxidant properties.
Natural Herpes Remedy
Propolis shows promise as a natural remedy for the sores that result from a genital herpes infection. Information gathered by the University of Maryland Medical Center shows bee propolis can stop the reproduction of herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 in test tubes. It cites a small study reported by the Israeli Medical Association Journal that found that people who used a bee propolis ointment on their genital herpes lesions healed faster than those who applied Zovirax ointment, a popular prescription.
Make Your Own Tincture
The University of Minnesota provides a recipe for bee propolis tincture. You can make your own bee propolis extract if you have access to an apiary and a protective suit. Collect the propolis from the hive in small pieces not larger than a marble. To make a 30 percent propolis tincture, collect 300 grams of propolis and place it in a jar with 700 g of grain alcohol or high-proof vodka. Seal the jar and put it in a warm and dark place for two weeks. Shake the jar several times a day. To complete the tincture, pour it through a coffee filter and store it in an opaque glass container.
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